Strut used in concrete fireproofing



June 24, 1930- w. F. LA MORTE 1,765,729

STRUT USED IN CONCRETE FIREPROOFING Filed Jan. 1:. 1928 A TTORNE Y5.

- 1o crete envelope;

Patented June 24, 1930 PATEN'T OFFICE WILLIAM 1*. LA mourn, or New YORK,N.- Y.

STRUT USED IN CONCRETE FIREPROOFING Application filed January 13, 1928.Serial No. 246,408.

This invention relates to the art of insulating metal beams or girdersby enclosing the same in a concrete envelope, and particularly has to dowith means for providing a strut to be interposed between the base of abeam or girder and a suitable soflit board.

Inmodern building construction beams and girders are employed, and it iscustomary to enclose such beams or girders in a con- The result isaccomplished by enclosing such beams or girders-within suitable formsand in constructing said forms there is employed what is known as asoflit board lying parallel with the base of the beam or girder to beenclosed. This sot-- fit board forms the base of theform and it isnecessary that it should be spaced from the base of such'form by apredetermined dimension. In like manner the walls of the form must bespaced apart from the beam or girder a predetermined dimension.

In work ofthis nature it has been customary to establish the position ofsaid soflitboard or of said side walls by interposing a block of woodnailed to the sofiit board, and

the walls of the form have been suitably sustained by their associationwith other portions of the form.

This invention relates to an instrument by which said spacing operationmay be accomplished with celerity and economy, and the instrument issuitable for use primarily to space apart the soflit board and the. baseof a beam or girder, but it may be employed to space apart the walls ofa form with reference to the girder, or for any other use or purposeinthis connection.

The instrumentalities referred to are illustrated in the accompany-ingdrawings, the parts being indicated by numerals, like numeralsdesignating like parts.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectionof a beam or girder enclosed within asuitable form illustrating the strut ofthis invention, as in- 45.terposed between the base of the beam or girder and the soflit boa-rd.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the strut which is the subject matterof this invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating another form of strutconstruction.

Referring to Figure 1, 1 indicates the web of the beam or girder, 2 thetop fla and 3 the bottom flange thereof. 4 is a. so t board forming thebase of the form,'whi1e 5 is a cross-axial support interposedcross-axially of said boards at suitable intervals longitudinalthereofl'to serve as a support therefor. 6 is'a wire passingover the topof the beam or girder and through apertures in the soflit board and alsothrough the supporting no I bar 5. These wire supports are usuallyspaced apart by several feet. 7 is a. platform adapted to support theform. 8 and 8 are vertical walls of the form, and 9 and!) are horizontalwalls, while the dotted line 10 :5 indicates the oint to which theconcrete is permitted to 11 the form.

11 is the 'shankor stem of the spacing instrument. It isprovided with ahead l2'and a point 13, while 14 is a detent integral with sald shankand interposed intermediate said point and head. 1 The length of theshank between the points 13 and 14, as 16, is'variable to suit thethickness of the wood forming the sofiit board 4 and the support 5, butit may be 7 V of any suitable length to sustain itin a verticalposition. The space between the head 12 and the detent'14 is apredetermined dimension sufficient to satisfy the requirements withrespect to the thickness of the fireproofso ing envelope lyin betweenthe base of the a beam and the so tbozird. The illustration of Figure 3is the same as that'of 2 9 with the exception that instead ofa disk-14,1V a bar 15 may be constructed perpendicular 85, to. the axis of theshank, to'serve thepurpose j of a detent, in like manner as thedetent-14.--

f The operation of the device is asfollows. When the walls andlatform 8and 9 of the form are constructe they rest on the platform 7.- The strut11 is then driven into the soffit board, as by a hammer engaging thehead, preferably in a position axial o the soflit board,-and it may alsopass through the support 5 until the detent=14 comes'in contact andpredetermined dimension between the upper surface of the sofiit boardand the lower surface of the beam or girder. The wire 6 is then passedthrough suitable holes in the soflit board 4 and sup rt 5 and run overthe 5 top of the beam2, an tightened by any suitable means, so that thesofiit board is drawn into position with respect to the base of thebeam, as far as the strut 11 will permit such movement. The struttherefore performs the definite function of spacing apart the base ofthe beam and the upper face of the soflit board.

When the concrete is poured into the mold in the usual way, the head 12and detent 14 and the shank between the same are enclosed within theconcrete envelope, and remain imbedded therein. To remove the form, thewire 6 is cut at some point below the sup port 5 and strai htened out,so thatthe sup= port and the so t board may be withdrawn, The ends ofthe wire 6 and the nail section 16 may be then cut ofi by any suitablemeans, while the wire 6 and the strut remain imbedded in the concrete.

As previously stated, these struts are preferably arranged in a lineadjacent the axis of the soflit boards, and they may be spaced apart anypredetermined dimension, but they may be employed as indicated in thedrawing at the oint where the soffit board is supported y wires, orotherwise, as the circumstances of the case may require.

It will be obvious that this form of strut a may be employed inanalogous positions in the building up of concrete forms, and thedimension of the strut, and the dimension of w the nail end may bedetermined by the cir-=' 1 cumstances of each case, without departing wfrom the spirit ofthe' invention.

Claim: l 4

In an assembly of thecharacter described, a strut. comprising a shankprovided at one end with a headand at the opposite end with a point, androvided" intermediate its head i and point wit an integral cross axialdetent 'ada ted to limit thethrust of the shank a pre etermineddimension and likewise to es- 4 tablish a predetermined dimensionbetween said detent and said head, in combination with a girder which itis desired toenclose in corn crete, a form board in which the shank isdriven to seat the detent againstthe face of the formboard, and means,independent of the strut, for supporting the form board in cooperativerelation to the irderwith the head of the shank iii end abuttingengagement withthe girder to space the form board said" predetermineddimension from the m girder.

' Signed by me at New York city, N. L, this 12th day of January, 1928. yWILLIAM F. LA MORTE;

